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The screened porch provides a place to relax outdoors without
having to pay attention to the barbarian bug population.

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Benefits Of A Screened Porch

• Adds a versatile addition to any home
• Changes a mediocre home into a vibrant one
• Creates an eye-catching focal point for your home
• Adds aesthetic beauty, value and security to your home
• Makes your home feel more spacious
• Provides shelter from the elements
• Acts as a barrier to noise
• Acts as a barrier to intruders
• Creates an oasis for a private retreat to pause from a hectic life
• Allows you to entertain more often with friends & family
• Allows your kids to play outside while keeping them safe
• Enclose a gazebo, deck or patio
• Enjoy the beauty of nature without the burden of outdoor discomforts
• Exercise outdoors while still in the privacy of your own home

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You want your deck to last for years as it is an extension of your home and your entertainment space.  However, with that comes deck maintenance that should be completed each year.  Keep your deck looking great with the right cleaners, sealers, and stains.  Learn more from our friends at Lowe’s.

Deck Maintenance Buying Guide

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Tip of the Week: A dripping faucet or leaking toilet can waste up to 20 gallons of water a day. That’s why it is imperative that you repair these issues immediately when they are found. Give us a call at ANDY OnCall® to help you with your home repair needs!

Call ANDY!

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Have some big storage needs, but have a small kitchen? Don’t pass this one up from our fiends @ Reliable Remodeler!

Small Kitchen Storage Solutions for Big Storage Needs

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Making improvements to your lighting is one of the fastest ways to cut your energy bills. An average household dedicates 11% of its energy budget to lighting. Using new lighting technologies can reduce lighting energy use in your home by 50% to 75%.

Indoor Lighting Tips

Outdoor Lighting Tips

• Use outdoor lights with a photocell unit or a motion sensor.
  
• Turn off decorative outdoor natural gas lamps.
• Exterior lighting is one of the best places to use energy saving lights because of their long life.
• Also consider high-intensity discharge (also called HID) or low-pressure sodium lights.

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If you are like most people, your honey-do list far outweighs your available time. To conquer the list, it is helpful to prioritize your home improvement projects. Now is the time to get started on your list before the busy springtime season rolls around.

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Home Improvement Honey Do’s

• Update Fixtures — Fixtures are the fashion accessories of the house. They speak volumes about your style. Start with high traffic areas. Consider a new set of faucets in the kitchen and bathroom, or new light fixtures in living/dining room. They can be installed in a matter of hours. You will be amazed with the transformation they bring to your home.
• Add A Backsplash – A well designed and installed tile backsplash is a nice focal point to your kitchen area. Besides showing off your personal style for your own enjoyment, an up-to-date design can make your house more desirable for potential buyers.
• Fresh Paint— Painting is another quick & easy way of updating your home. Use new colors can completely restyle your home. Even just freshen up the old paint can give your home a nice lift, especially in high traffic areas like the bathroom, kitchen, hallway & living room.
• Closet Organizers – Everyone can use more closet space, but how do you increase your bedroom closet capacity without adding an addition or taking away from the space in your room?
  Use closet organizers to remedy wasted space and alleviate clutter and confusion.

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Stop energy wasting leaks and cold drafts. Weather-strip entire door jamb of all exterior doors…front doors, backdoors, and garage doors. Caulk around the exterior of your windows to stop window drafts.

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Weather Stripping Tips

• Update Door Step by Installing an Aluminum Threshold with Vinyl Seal
• For Extra Draft Protection, Seal Bottom of Doors by Adding a Door Sweep
• Inspect and Identify Your Door’s Current Type of Weather Stripping Before Replacing.

Window Caulking Tips

• Scrape and clean the area to be caulked
• Cut 1/4 inch off the tip of the caulking tube with a utility knife
• Slide tube into caulking gun
• Run a 1/8-inch bead of caulk between window frame and siding.
• Smooth the bead of caulk with your finger or a popsicle stick.
• Clean the tip of the caulk tube frequently to avoid excess buildup.

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Playing host during the holidays can certainly be stressful with all the cooking, planning, organizing, etc. Basic home maintenance isn’t only important for your home, it can make your life a lot easier during the busy holiday season.

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Holiday Maintenance Checklist

• New Kitchen Fixtures— By having the right kitchen environment for your get-togethers this holiday season, you can cut down on holiday stress by having a kitchen that’s equipped to handle all your holiday party needs.
• A Fresh Coat Of Paint—Giving your bathroom something as simple as a nice new paint job can work wonders. Over time, even the highest quality paint job loses its luster, especially in a high traffic area like the bathroom.
• Seal Door and Window Drafts—If you’ve been noticing that your home’s a little drafty, be sure to seal things up before your guests arrive.
• Insulate Pipes—Coming home to busted or frozen pipes tops the list of cold weather, homeowner nightmares.
• Strengthen Bouncy Decks—If you notice your deck starting to sag or feel unsteady when you walk across it, now’s probably the time to fix it.
• Fix Slow Drains—More showers, extra laundry loads and a busier kitchen sink will put added strain on those slow drains and possibly cause a serious and inconvenient backup.

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Home Maintenance Checklist

Here’s a simple bi-annual “top to bottom” checklist to keep your home in shape year-round.

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• Roof: Check roof and around vents, skylights and chimneys for leaks.
• Attic: If there is no ridge vent, keep gable vents open year-round to ensure proper ventilation.
• Fireplace: Clean fireplace of ashes. Check chimney for loose or missing mortar. Have chimney professionally cleaned.
• Filters: Remember to clean or replace filters once a month, or as needed. Check and clean dryer vent, air conditioner, stove hood and room fans.
• Safety Equipment: Ensure that all smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors and fire extinguishers are in good working order.
• Faucets: Check for leaky faucets in kitchen and bathroom(s).
  Windows and Doors: Seal drafty doors and windows. Replace seals as needed.
• Basement: Check basement walls and floor for dampness.
  Heating System: Have heating system serviced. Change filters.
• Hot Water Heater: Drain hot water heater. Remove sediment from the bottom of the tank.

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If you are thinking about installing a security system in your home, consider putting in a motion detector. Motion detectors can turn on lights, set off an alarm or call for help when they sense an intruder.

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Where to Install Motion
Detectors In Your Home:

• Look for all of the possible ways for an intruder to enter your home.
• Decide which entries would benefit the most from a motion detector.
• Look for doors and windows that can’t be seen from the street or are hidden by shrubs.
• Determine where in the room a detector will be most effective.
• Place the motion detector temporarily in place, and test its effectiveness. Can it “see” anyone entering the room from all windows and doorways?
• Check your motion detector periodically to make sure that it is still in working order.
• Make sure that nothing has been moved to block its view.
• Check the batteries, if it’s a battery-operated model.

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